Tiddly-Winks
by djenie
Summary: Teal'c learns a new game!


**I decided to clean some of the nonsense off of my computer. Gotta put it somewhere!**

TIDDLY-WINKS

"Jack... Are you actually playing... uh?" Daniel asked, staring down at the assortment of small colored plastic disks spread on the cafeteria table. Most of them surrounded a green cup in the center. One or two of the disks were inside the cup.

"Shhh, Daniel! I'm concentrating." Jack leaned over the miniature 'playing field.' "Got my clock cleaned the last time I played. I need the practice."

Sam rolled her eyes and started to giggle.

One small disk, propelled by another, shot off the edge of the table.

"Major! No giggling!" O'Neill glared at her. "You spoiled my aim!"

"...Tiddly-Winks..." Daniel said weakly.

"Sorry, sir," Carter snorted.

"What is the object of this activity, O'Neill?" Teal'c's voice boomed just behind Jack.

Jack jumped, and the blue disk he was holding flew from his fingers, bouncing on the table and landing in Daniel's cup of coffee. Daniel took up his spoon and fished for the object, as Jack turned to level an icy stare at Teal'c and Sam dissolved in another fit of giggles.

"Now, see," Jack complained. "You made me lose my squidger!"

"Squidger?!" Sam squeaked, her voice about three octaves higher than normal. Her face was turning an unnatural shade of red.

"MajorCarter, I suggest that you breathe," Teal'c advised calmly.

"It's... actually called... a squidger?" she gasped between breaths.

"Got it," said Daniel, picking the large-ish blue disk from the bowl of his spoon and handing it to Jack.

"Thanks." Jack took the disk and wiped it dry on Daniel's sleeve.

"Hey!" the archeologist protested.

"Squidger," Sam repeated, shaking her head. "You made that up," she accused, jabbing a finger at Jack's chest.

He shoved the finger aside. "Watch it, Major. Or I will squop your winks!"

She blinked. "What?"

"You heard me," he replied, leaning down to retrieve the disk that had fallen to the floor. He stood, turning toward Teal'c. "The object is to snap all your small disks into the cup on the table before your opponent can get their disks in there."

"Indeed," Teal'c said, not quite as strongly as he usually spoke the word—in fact there may have been an interrogatory lilt at the end.

"What do you mean, you'll squop my winks?" Sam demanded, advancing on Jack. "Is that a threat?"

"Careful, Carter," Jack warned.

"Easy, Sam," Daniel intervened. "That's Tiddly-Winks lingo."

She stared at him. "Huh?"

"Squopping is when you land your winks—the small disks—on top of your opponent's winks. Then they can't be played."

"Oh," she said, more subdued. "Sorry, sir."

"Forget it, Carter."

"I still do not understand the purpose of this activity, O'Neill."

"It's a children's game, Teal'c," Daniel explained. "Rather old-fashioned, actually. Kids probably don't play it any more."

"Wrong!" Jack proclaimed. "This game belongs to Dave Dixon's kids. They left it at my house this weekend."

"Oh. Really? And what were the Dixon kids doing at your house?"

Jack shrugged. "They stayed over Saturday night so Dave and Marcy could go out for her birthday." He wagged his eyebrows. "...And have some privacy after." He leaned over to snap another disk. This time it went into the cup, and he grinned foolishly.

Sam and Daniel were staring at him in shock. "You... babysat?" Daniel said finally.

"Nah... they're not babies. We had a pajama party. It was fun." He took another shot, but this one skittered across the table uselessly. Jack made a face, and waved at Teal'c. "Your turn, T."

"Yeah... and you and the four Dixon kids played Tiddly-Winks?" Daniel's eyebrows had disappeared under his bangs.

Teal'c leaned over and regarded the playing field seriously.

"Just the youngest one. And, man, is she good! Wiped me right out!" Jack said. "The older kids have Y-pods or something."

The Jaffa moved to another angle and carefully lined up his shot.

"That's... ipods...sir," Sam corrected.

"Yeah. That. One of 'em even has a pill."

Sam sent a puzzled look Daniel's way. He shrugged—even he couldn't always translate _jack-speak._

Teal'c snapped a yellow disk, which landed precisely in the cup. He stood. "I believe you are referring to a 'tablet,' O'Neill."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Tablet. Pill. Whatever. Nice shot. You're catching on. Go again."

"So the older kids brought a tablet and an ipod?" Daniel asked.

Teal'c's next disk also landed squarely on target. Jack put up an eyebrow. "Keep going, T. There was also a laptop," he said to Daniel. "The oldest is thirteen. She was doing homework on her laptop. But I think she was really chatting with her friends. At least until the pizza arrived. Then I made 'em shut everything down and eat."

"Well, that sounds like a fun evening." Daniel tried to inject some enthusiasm into his tone.

"After it got dark we went up on the roof deck and looked at the stars. They loved looking through the telescope. I had my old one set up, too, so they didn't have to wait as long. Made popcorn. Brought sleeping bags, and we all slept up there."

Sam and Daniel exchanged a look. It _did_ sound like an enjoyable evening!

Dave Dixon joined them just then. "Hey, Jack. I got a message you wanted to see me?" He waved at the others. "Hi, guys."

"Yeah. Nicky left her tiddly-winks game at my house Saturday night. I brought it in for you."

"Looks like you're having fun with it, too," Dave remarked.

Teal'c straightened after making his fourth perfect shot. "Indeed. It is a most interesting pastime." He turned again to the table.

"Uh-huh," Dave said, grinning at Teal'c. "I know what to get you for your next birthday!"

"Jaffa do not celebrate birthdays with gifts, Colonel Dixon," Teal'c said, with a slight bow. "But I appreciate the sentiment."

The other three members of SG1 exchanged grins.

"Well, let me gather it up for you," Jack said. "Sorry to cut you off, Teal'c. But I'm pretty sure you've got me beat." He began putting the game back in the cloth bag it came in.

"It was a good match," Teal'c said, surrendering his squidger.

Jack extended the bag to Dave. "Tell Nicky to be sure and bring it next time. I'm not much competition for her, but I'll invite T over. She'll give him a run for his money!"

"I shall be honored," Teal'c said solemnly, as Dave, Sam and Daniel burst out laughing!

 **~The End~**

 **So there's my ration of gibberish and balderdash for the day!**


End file.
